Brad Banister’s torn. Imagine having to choose between the happiness, the ambition, of two children. One, your own flesh and blood. The other, an orphan you took in and nurtured, also raised from the cradle to adulthood; a foundling you devoted an inordinate amount of time to, poured a great deal of emotional and financial resources into.

Both through the years, undoubtedly, providing a certain amount of frustration along with an immense amount of pride in his life.

“I have no idea how to feel, to be honest,’’ admits the man responsible for bringing the Calgary Roughnecks into this world on March 28, 2001. “I kind of feel as if I’m being pulled in different directions.’’

Saturday at 7 p.m., the ‘Necks host the Edmonton Rush in Game 1 of the National Lacrosse League’s West double-bill divisional final. Mitch Banister just happens to be on the books for the Rush. In fact, Banister the Younger played his first — and until now, only — game of the NLL season at the Scotiabank Saddledome back on April 12 and wound up assisting on Riley Loewen’s go-ahead goal at 7:57 of the fourth quarter that set the interlopers on their way to a 15-11 conquest.

“The weird thing — Mitch and I were just talking about this — is all those games he played in the Saddledome, all the time he spent around those guys, since he was nine years old, he knows ‘em all, and now he is, playing in front of a crowd of 15,000 that for so long you were a part of, against players who you know as well as your own teammates.

“The whole Rush team was at the ‘Dome on Saturday (for the 16-15 semifinal win over Colorado) and Mitch told me he was getting chirped by some fans wearing Banister jerseys. So kinda weird, yeah, for sure. But he does play against or with all the Roughneck guys in the summer. Curtis Dickson, for instance, is on his team. And a few other guys.

“So I’m sure those old allegiances are fading. The Rush treats him really well. The guys treat him really well.’’

Weary of the constant Tylenol-3 migraines, Banister may have sold the ‘Necks to the far more flush Calgary Flames in June of 2011, but it’s still impossible for him to speak of them without adopting a slightly proprietary tone. And for that the man can be forgiven. On his watch, after all, Calgary laid claim to three divisional championships and two NLL titles, and he dropped a large chunk of change in the ongoing financial fight for survival in a niche league.

“Obviously most of the guys on the Roughnecks are still the guys I brought in. So I cheer for them. For Shattler and Dobie and the rest. I think the only offensive guy who didn’t arrive on my watch was Shawn Evans and I wish I’d been responsible for him, too. He’s a great player.

“Last weekend, I went, sat way up in the nosebleeds, by myself, and watched the entire game without any interruptions for the first time in a long time and found myself still cheering for the Roughnecks. I’d gone in kind of neutral, you know, but old habits die hard, I guess.

“Hard to erase that tattoo.’’

This matchup is a compelling one. The top two teams in the division in the 15-2 Rush vs. the 12-6 Roughnecks embroiled in a two-game set with the possibility of a 10-minute mini-game to follow Game 2 at Rexall Place should the teams be tied in aggregate goals after 120 minutes.

“I like the way the league is going in regards to bringing in new blood. I think that’s important. Every sport has to get younger and fast. You look at the Flames and the good job they did of introducing new faces into their lineup.

“This should be a great two-game series. The Edmonton team, from what Mitch tells me, sounds a lot like the ‘09 Roughnecks. A really glued-together group. Very good defensively. Calgary’s offence is, like, really ... ridiculous. They can score from anywhere, every guy on that team. So it should be great for lacrosse fans.’’

That game back on April 12th — with Mitch returning to the Saddledome — was every dad’s dream come true.

“I was sure proud of him,’’ says Banister. “But I do have to admit something: I wore an Edmonton Rush jersey that night. Yes, I did. Believe me, I’m still hearing about that one. I told the (Roughneck) guys ‘Hey, if you ever get to experience this kind of a moment, only then will you know what it’s all about.’ Watching him play, it felt as great as winning a championship.

“But Curt (Malowsky) is still giving me the gears, and that was three weeks ago.’’

And the next two weeks?

“I mean, I don’t know,’’ he wavers. “I want the Roughnecks to succeed, that’s kind of in my DNA, but at the same time I’d love to see my son get a ring. It makes for some interesting conversation around the dinner table, I can tell you.’’

Saturday night, Brad Banister plans on heading back up the stairs, to the very top of the Scotiabank Saddledome, into the nether-regions of the nosebleeds, to be by himself and watch some lacrosse.

A proud, if torn, parent.

“This time,’’ he laughs, “I don’t plan on wearing a jersey. If Mitch plays, maybe I’ll put one in my back pocket.

“If I do wear one, though — either one — at least I’ll be way up there where no one will see me.’’

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